1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to preformed dimensional shingles, for covering the hip, ridge and rake portions of a roof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The applicant has conducted a customary search and is aware of the following United States Patents, which have some relevance to his invention disclosed herein:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,721 to Pressutti discloses a fiberglass shingle with a stiffening member along its length and an elastic sealing member;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,835,929 to Bondoc teaches a flat, bendable shingle with a riser strip laminated to the lower surface of the shingle;
U.S. Pat. No. 3,913,294 to Freiborg discloses a hip or ridge cover utilizing transverse folds to create a thickened portion at the center of the shingle;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,464,872 to Eaton discloses a flat, embossed panel intended to be bent to conform to the hip or ridge portions of a roof;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,191,722 to Gould teaches a process for making composite resin shingle with a protective skin formed thereon.
Some of the listed art depicts shingles which are shipped in a flat configuration, and are later bent during installation to conform to the hip, ridge or rake portions of a roof. Since the bending occurs at ambient temperature at the job site, cracking at the fold line and consequent loss of water tight integrity is a common result. Additionally, prior art shingles requiring bending at installation have a tendency to curl up at the edges. The present invention addresses this problem by providing a shingle unit which is preformed during manufacture to accommodate the hip, ridge or rake portions of a roof.
Other cited references utilize a hollow chamber to create a high profile shingle. Such a method is prone to mechanical damage, temperature deformation and warpage. The preformed shape of the present invention, in conjunction with the continuously tapering, supportive substrate, eliminates the hollow chamber, thus providing a shingle unit that is crush-resistant. The mechanical stability of the underlying substrate also assists in maintaining the original, preformed shape of the shingle unit.
Further, all of the listed art requires the manual application of an adhesive between the hip or ridge shingle
U.S. Pat. No. 4,439,955 to Freiborg discloses a shingle with a series of folds used to create a thickened portion in the center of each shingle;
U.S. Pat. No. 2,259,962 to Owen illustrates a hip or ridge cover involving the mating of two wood shingles to form an integral unit;
U.S. Pat. No. 2,223,303 to Kiefer discloses a composition siding shingle for use on the corners of structures;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,015,374 to Epstein teaches a panel intended to simulate a plurality of wood shakes;
U.S. Pat. No. 3,605,369 to Merrill discloses a flat shingle consisting of a light metal shell filled with a non-compressible material;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,577,442 to Callaway shows a clamp or shingle mount intended to hold ridge shingles in proper position along a roof ridge;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,131 to Parker illustrates a roofing shingle with a dense outer skin of plastic, fiberglass or metal intended to imitate the look of a slate roof;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,187,650 to Poplin teaches an asphalt shingle, precut and folded so as to create a hollow envelope for use along the hip or ridge of a roof; and the roof, upon installation. The present invention overcomes this labor-consuming step by providing preformed depressions, partially filled with an adhesive, on the underside of the substrate. Shortly after installation of the present dimensional shingle, the adhesive is heated by solar energy, and caused to flow between the shingle and the roof. Upon setting, the adhesive provides a ridge, hip or rake shingle installation which is highly resistant to wind uplift.